The enigma surrounding the origins of William John DEMPSEY (1900-1961)

[heywood]

Thanks Debra.
That would mean that Thomas in the electoral registers is brother Thomas?

[TreeDigger]

I got so stuck in yet more puzzles (just today published my Haycock findings under 'Ancestral Family Tree DNA Testing) that I completelyforgot to check back here   

Trying to make sense of the postings, but are you folks saying William Dempsey could actually be the son of Thomas Foster & Agnes Prince?! Or am I reading that wrong..

(bad sinusitis so thinking is currently not my strong suit)   

[heywood]

It’s some time since this was posted but yes, I would say he is.
I have mentioned a couple of times that your first post gives the impression that you know that William Foster emigrated, therefore you know that it can’t be him.

However, it looks as though you may have got this information from family trees which have the wrong William.

Is that right?

[TreeDigger]

I wonder if you researched William, the son of Agnes or relied on published trees.
In your first post, you write, ‘However this is not the same individual’ and it seems likely now that it is.   

Ehm.. a tree by a close relative who usually is pretty meticulous? 
I know, bad form. I already informed him.

[heywood]

Hopefully the details are all in here.
It will be interesting if he checks to see what he thinks.

[TreeDigger]

I'll definitely point him to this conversation.

So now I guess the next piece of the puzzle is to see when William & Elizabeth Howard split up. Because the actual son William of Thomas Foster & Agnes Prince is starting to look like a really good candidate for Dempsey..

[TreeDigger]

Just pulled the 1921 census record for William Foster married to Elizabeth Howard.

Living with James & Mary Howard and a plethora of kids:

Lily Foster, 20 years 9 months, married
William Foster, 20 years 11 months, married
Thomas Foster, under 1 month

The 1921 census was taken on 19 June 1921. Ergo, William would turn 21 anywhere between June 19 and July 19. I'd say a birth date of June 30 is pretty spot on 

Of course there's still some details to nail down, but I think based on my original hypothesis and with the excellent sleuthing by you people it's safe to say "Ladies & gentlemen.. we've got him!"

[TreeDigger]

Looks like son Thomas Foster, born 17 June 1921, was living with grandparents Howard in 1939; he died in 1989 in Liverpool. Mom Elizabeth and GJ Burke are living in Huyton with Roby in 1939.

There is a William Foster born 30 June 1900 who departed from Liverpool arriving aboard the 'Belgic' at New York on 03 March 1919; trial run?

Edit - Definitely him; address given on passenger list is 7 Robertson Str, Liverpool 

[heywood]

And just think, you could have solved it all yourself had you not listened to your relative.